Lady leaves the crowd amazed in Target Rifle Shooting Championships

Meet the best lady shooter of the season, Sergeant Grace Rantile who over a short period of time has had an excellent performance in target riffle shooting. She got a promotion from Class T to Ordinary during the previous 2016/17season.

The challenge she had faced then was weather reading (windage and mirage) which is sometimes very outrageous at the Laikipia Air Base range alongside lacking a good riffle to use at the range. She kept moving from one weapon to the other but was lucky to finally get a better weapon.

With more training and good weapon, she did her best and got super scores which earned her a promotion to the next class X and finally to the top class Super X (SX)

She is a talented shooter who loves the sport and looks forward to qualifying for the next UK Bisley Competitions which are held annually.

The sport of full bore target riffle shooting is the ultimate test of precision shooting at a longer range and the Kenyan team has a strong tradition in the discipline. Shooting 7.62mm bolt action, custom built rifles out at a maximum distance of 1000yards (900m) and challenges not only a steady position but also the ability to judge the wind, especially at the longer ranges. This needs significant adjustment of sights to keep shots at the bull's eye.
The sport needs a lot of concentration and dedication as it is not easy as it seems to be. One needs to have a proper weapon and the skills to make correct judgement of wind and other aspects, all combined to make you hit a dead vee bull.

The Kenyan team battles it out with other countries annually, an event which is normally held in UK Bisley.
The tradition that only men could make it in the sport has been long forgotten as the lady shooters have also sharpened their skills and upped their game, proving to be tougher. The team comprises about 45men and at least 20 ladies, both teams made up of officers both from the Defence Forces and the Kenya Police Service.

One of the sharpshooters, GSU's Sarah Sintoi is in the Kenyan team taking part in this year's UK Bisley competition. She is a dedicated shooter who doesn't allow anyone to beat her in the range work by the virtue of being female

Meet the best lady shooter of the season, GSU's SGT/w Grace Rantile, who over a short period of time has posted an outstanding performance in the shooting sports, target riffle shooting to be specific. She got a class promotion from Trainee to Ordinary last season. Rantile is a 31-year-old lady who started participating in the sport in the year 2015 and is passionate about it. Despite the challenges she faced, she never stopped posting excellent performances. This sport needs a dedicated coach who is willing and ready to take you through the journey of rising to the top.
She lacked good weapons and other equipment and had a problem with judgement of weather aspects but with more coaching, training and focus to be a champion, plus being in a possession of a better weapon, she proved that she is the best of the best and that no one can put her down.

She got promoted to Class X where she outshined the other shooters when she scored 510.27 vee bulls which earned her a promotion to the top most class, Super X (SX) during the last Kenya Open Championships which were held at the Laikipia Air Base range in Nanyuki. This made her the new SX lady in the sport alongside a few ladies who are veterans in the same class.

The iron lady is looking forward to making it to the top 24 so that she also takes part in the world championships overseas.
Lack of proper weapons and equipment is a challenge to many, more so to the young shooters/new shooters. But with the little resources available, ladies are doing just well and enjoying being part of the team. Just to mention GSU's Sarah Sintoi, Irebe Wanjiku, Juliet Arono, Mercy Ngaira, DCI's Lilian Malala and the Defence Forces' Farrihya Mohammed, Joyce Chebii, Brenda Ajiambo, Nune Bonaya and Pendo Dzombo are some of the tough iron ladies in the game.
TR is just one of the most enjoyable sports in the world and every person can do it. The ladies are looking forward to registering more of good scores and performances and just securing a chance to attend the Bisley Championships together with their male counterparts who are also doing good in the sport.